Methods to securely configure an FPGA using encrypted macros

• US 6,305,005 B1
• Filed: 01/14/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burnham, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US09/231,528
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 716/1-21, 713/1, 713/100, 713/202, 380/4
• US Class Current: 716/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]

Abstract

A method is provided for securely configuring an FPGA with macros. Specifically, if an end user desires to use a macro from a macro vendor, the end user creates a design file containing an encrypted macro received from the macro vendor rather than the actual macro. The end user uses a FPGA programming tool to convert the design file into configuration data. Specifically, the FPGA programming tool processes the design file to detect encrypted macros. If an encrypted macro is detected, the FPGA programming tool requests authorization over a secured medium to decrypt the encrypted macro from the macro vendor. If authorization is received, the FPGA programming tool decrypts the encrypted macro and converts the design file into configuration data incorporating the macro.

Claims

1. A method to program an FPGA comprising the steps of:

creating a design file incorporating a first encrypted macro of a first macro;

obtaining authorization to decrypt said first encrypted macro;

decrypting the first encrypted macro to obtain the first macro; and

converting said design file and said first macro into configuration data, wherein said configuration data incorporates a first converted macro based on said first macro.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining said first encrypted macro from a first macro vendor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining authorization to decrypt said first encrypted macro further comprises the step of obtaining a first decryption key for said first encrypted macro.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said authorization is obtained over a telephone line.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said authorization is obtained over a secured channel of a network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of programming said FPGA with said configuration data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of incorporating a second encrypted macro of a second macro in said design file.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said configuration data incorporates a second converted macro based on said second macro.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of obtaining authorization to decrypt said second encrypted macro.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of obtaining said second encrypted macro from a second macro vendor.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first encrypted macro is a Java archive file.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a confidential password for obtaining authorization to decrypt said first encrypted macro.

13. A method to securely provide macros for programming an FPGA, said method comprising the steps of:

encrypting a first macro to form a first encrypted macro;

providing said first encrypted macro to an end user;

granting authorization to decrypt said first encrypted macro over a secured medium; and

converting the first macro into a first converted macro.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing a first decryption key to decrypt said first encrypted macro over said secured medium.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said secured medium is a telephone line.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said secured medium is a secured channel of a network.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

encrypting a second macro to form a second encrypted macro;

providing said second encrypted macro to an end user; and

granting authorization to decrypt said second encrypted macro over said secured medium.